Official images!
Twelve leaked images have revealed the heavily-anticipated seventh-generationVolkswagen Golf ahead of its scheduled debut later tonight.
The next Golf’s design was penned by Walter da Silva, the head of Volkswagen’s design department. It boasts a sleeker profile than the current model and it is longer, wider and roomier. However, it stays in line with the German brand’s current design theme and the leaked images show a silhouette that is not drastically different than the sixth-generation Golf.
The front end of the Golf gains angular headlights and a thinner grille that are both reminiscent of the smaller Pol hatchback. Out back, the tail lamps are longer and the hatch features an elegant crease in the sheetmetal.
The seventh-generation Golf inaugurates a new italic font for the trunk-mounted emblem that reveals what engine lies under the hood. The font will be gradually fitted to every member of the Volkswagen lineup. The emblem that denotes the model stays the same.
Much like the exterior, the next Golf’s interior is more of an evolution than a revolution. The steering wheel, the instrument cluster and the air vents are all similar to those of the sixth-generation model.
The center console is slightly tilted towards the driver and features a touch screen that lets occupants control the car’s infotainment system. The leaked images depict a well-equipped trim level and we will have to wait until more photos are released to see what entry-level and mid-range models look like.
What we know so far.
Official details will be available later tonight when Volkswagen lifts the sheet off of the car at a ceremony in Berlin, Germany. The Golf’s U.S. powertrain lineup should see get a thorough update for the new model, according to a report from Autocar. The biggest change will be the addition of a plug-in hybrid setup boasting 243 horsepower and upwards of 40 mpg. A 1.8-liter turbo four will likely replace the existing 2.5-liter inline-five as a base engine in the United States, while the GTI’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder will get a healthy boost in power from 200 to 260 horsepower.
The GTI will also get a new electronically controlled front differential that VW says delivers “more agile steering behavior” and helps the car lap the Nurburgring eight seconds faster than it would with a conventional diff.
While the normal Golf is expected to be as light as the mk4 version from the late 1990s, Volkswagen will take the car’s diet a step further with a special lightweight version, according to Autocar. While it is known that aluminum will be used in the car’s floor pressings, trunk floor and windshield base, it isn’t yet clear what models will get this special setup, though the GTI and plug-in hybrid are likely candidates.
All seventh-generation Golf models will ride on the group’s new MQB modular platform, which is cheaper to produce than the current generation. MQB stands for Modularer Querbauksten, a term which can be roughly translated to modular transverse matrix. The platform will be the basis of a vast number of Volkswagen,Audi, Skoda and SEAT products in the coming years. All-wheel drive and an updated version of VW’s Dynamic Chassis Control active dampers will be optional.
The seventh-generation Golf is expected to reach U.S. shores in early 2013. Pricing information will be announced closer to its launch.
